Pre wouldn't have won a gold medal

I think Pre would have contended for the 10K title, but would have only run the 5,000. No one was going to take Viren in the 5000. Pre was famed for his toughness despite his relative lack of sprinting speed. If he actually trained stricrly for the 10,000, who knows what he may have produced. However, because of his competitive personality, I think he would have done everything in his power to beat Viren. I think he would have been more satisfied beating Viren for the gold in the 5,000 than destroying the field in the 10,000. He wanted Viren and that was it. Therefore, while he may have had the potential at the 10,000, I think he would have gone after Viren in the 5000 and probably lost. Anyway, I still admire his courage to want to beat the best.

I wonder if they ever would have met in the marathon, or if Pre just wasn't built to go that distance.

Assuming you are around long enough, everyone moves up, right?

Viren would have broke Pre's back in any event.

Pre was a drunk and would have been playing golf with "Coach" Davis.

I don't think Pre would have gone for the marathon because he hated training runs that were 10+ miles. He said that he did not enjoy running that much. He also felt that it was miserable running farther than 5K, so I do not think he would have thought about the marathon. It would have been nice to see what he could do however, given his resiliency and toughness.

he would have gotten second or third, quit running, opened a bar and become a fat alcoholic...think raging bull sans title. also, viren will admit to drug doping. everyone who posts here will admit to not getting laid in the last six months, and everyone will realize bob kennedy is done.

Are you the Almighty? How do you know?

pre was young when he died. if he would have made it to the next olypmics he would have dominated whatever he raced in. his toughness is very important and also he would have ran that 12:36 3 mile he wanted for the world record. noone will ever be as tough of a runner as pre was.

Question: If living, would Pre have:

A) Because he was so incredibly competitive, juiced to the gills as he struck me as a 'win at all costs' guy.

B) Refused any drug as it ruined the essence of the struggle against oneself.

C) You fill in your thoughts.

Remember, the 70's was before there was big money to be made and the incentive to drug was a lot less.

without knowing Pre personally or any other athlete it's hard to know their stance on drugs. i hope anyway though that they were never in his thoughts.

as to whether he could have beaten Viren? i have to say no. i'm a big Pre fan but Viren was supreme. Pre would have had the 10k thbough. He had run a 3.54 mile so a slight improvement on that and increased mileage for the 10k would have made him hard to beat. never know.

I have to agree there is no way that Pre wins at 5k or 10k against Viren. And in 80 no way he can kick with Yiffter. Young runners have the wrong idea about Pre. He was good, but far from the God he has been built up to be. He was lucky to die young when it coems to being remembered. Other runnners from that era who were very tough, very good and had long careers are George Young, Barry Brown, Rick Woulhoter, Jack Bachlor, on adn on. These guys ewre tough, they worked hard, soem won medals at Olympics but are not known by todays young athletes. So sad. If Pre was still alive today Isay his career woudl haev been like this

Made 2 more Olympic teams

Never won a medal

would have been on drugs - no illegal at the time

woudl have faded away into noboy knowing who he was

I'm glad your crystal ball has enabled you to see Pre's "future" after his death.